This might be the toughest call of the slideshow to this point. Contrary to what feels like popular opinion right now, Paolo Banchero is nowhere near the obvious choice for best current Orlando Magic player.

Thanks in large part to a high turnover rate and the fact that he’s one of the NBA’s least efficient high-volume scorers, Banchero actually had a much weaker statistical profile than Franz Wagner in 2023-24, which may come as a surprise to fans who were inundated with takes about Wagner’s three-point percentage.

His dip from behind the line was concerning, but he’s still a far more efficient overall scorer right now. And if he gets back to his pre-2023-24 level as an outside shooter, he should be in All-Star talks.

So, why go with Banchero here?

The margins aren’t huge, but he’s a slightly better athlete. He’s slightly longer, too. And he’s established himself a bit more as a potential lead playmaker. In 2023-24, Banchero averaged a team-high 5.4 assists.

And while his inefficiency is a valid concern, he doesn’t turn 22 till November. He has time to figure that out. He’ll get better at taking care of the ball, too.

And ultimately, it’s still pretty easy to buy stock in his All-NBA potential.

Other Contender: Franz Wagner

What’s nice for Orlando, even if the media and NBA fans don’t acknowledge it, is that Wagner is on a very similar trajectory. He too could have a season or two as a top 15-20 player.

And if the Magic put two such forwards on the floor together, they could be on the tier of title contenders.